879 replies to this topic

[ckn]

Getting quite panicky Darn Sarf at the moment as there COULD be UP TO 10cm of snow in London tonight/tomorrow morning.

Talk of sending people home early/working from home tomorrow for those who have to drive in.

No word however to those of us who face a 250 mile journey tomoorow though.

That annoys the hell out of me. I remember in the 70s and 80s, gritters gritting every road around our way at the threat of snow, these days they only do A roads and bus routes after the snow has fallen yet there were three stories on breakfast news about the councils worrying about their grit supplies running out. FFS... they've had 10 months since our last snowfall to restock yet are now realising they haven't got enough. They'll do the same next year.

Go to any other country that gets snow in the winter and they just get on with it. In Britain, our investment in our transport infrastructure and maintenance is pathetic at best and closer to being outright criminally negligent.

Our local council is genuinely considering cutting back the money they spend on this sort of thing because they have to make 14% cuts across their entire budget due to government grant reductions; well, cuts on everything but education as that's been mandated as uncuttable by central government edict meaning that everything else has to put up with deeper cuts.

[Kenilworth Tiger]

Getting quite panicky Darn Sarf at the moment as there COULD be UP TO 10cm of snow in London tonight/tomorrow morning.

Talk of sending people home early/working from home tomorrow for those who have to drive in.

No word however to those of us who face a 250 mile journey tomoorow though.

Excellent - let's hope it spreads to Hook (in Hampshire)

[voteronniegibbs]

Excellent. My work Christmas party tonight, so this is a useful coincidence.

excellent as in you've got an excuse not to go, or excellent as in you'll get snowed in and a lock in will ensue??

[Saint Rich]

excellent as in you've got an excuse not to go, or excellent as in you'll get snowed in and a lock in will ensue??

The latter. Won't be too late back tonight though as taxis cost a king's ransom to get to Kingston from town.

[Griff9of13]

That annoys the hell out of me. I remember in the 70s and 80s, gritters gritting every road around our way at the threat of snow, these days they only do A roads and bus routes after the snow has fallen yet there were three stories on breakfast news about the councils worrying about their grit supplies running out. FFS... they've had 10 months since our last snowfall to restock yet are now realising they haven't got enough. They'll do the same next year.

Go to any other country that gets snow in the winter and they just get on with it. In Britain, our investment in our transport infrastructure and maintenance is pathetic at best and closer to being outright criminally negligent.

Our local council is genuinely considering cutting back the money they spend on this sort of thing because they have to make 14% cuts across their entire budget due to government grant reductions; well, cuts on everything but education as that's been mandated as uncuttable by central government edict meaning that everything else has to put up with deeper cuts.

Meanwhile Boris has pledged to spend £60m of Londerners trasport budget on electric cars, so that's ok then. Linky

[JohnM]

Th
Our local council is genuinely considering cutting back the money they spend on this sort of thing because they have to make 14% cuts across their entire budget due to government grant reductions; well, cuts on everything but education as that's been mandated as uncuttable by central government edict meaning that everything else has to put up with deeper cuts.

what's the name of your local authority?

as I understand it, the Highways Agency looks after salting motorways and trunk roads.

here is what they do in Lincolnshire including precautionary salting.

These days, authorities use GPS and vehicle telematics to ensure that the right level of salt is spread on the right roads at the right times and that complete records are kept.

see here and here

[Griff9of13]

what's the name of your local authority?

as I understand it, the Highways Agency looks after salting motorways and trunk roads.

here is what they do in Lincolnshire including precautionary salting.

These days, authorities use GPS and vehicle telematics to ensure that the right level of salt is spread on the right roads at the right times and that complete records are kept.

see here and here

I think it is a bit of a lottery though depending on who your council happens to be. Where I live, in Merseyside they are usually very good, with the gritters out early gritting all but the most minor side streets. However just a couple of miles away you cross into West Lanacashire, where on the same day you will be lucky if the A roads have been done. This difference is not just occational but is what happens most of the time.

[ckn]

what's the name of your local authority?

as I understand it, the Highways Agency looks after salting motorways and trunk roads.

here is what they do in Lincolnshire including precautionary salting.

These days, authorities use GPS and vehicle telematics to ensure that the right level of salt is spread on the right roads at the right times and that complete records are kept.

see here and here

Suffolk Council. Trunk roads are Highways agency, others are council.

Council priorities:
* Priority 1 – All A and B class roads, and the busiest bus and commuter routes on other roads. These are treated on any occasion ice or snow is forecast to be a hazard;
* Priority 2 - Other significant bus routes and other commuter routes. Treated if snow or ice is forecast to persist for much of the day, or shorter term conditions will be severe, e.g. rain turning to ice;
* Priority 3 – Other classified roads and busier unclassified roads. Only treated in prolonged severe conditions as resources permit; and
* Priority 4 – Remaining surfaced unclassified roads. Treated in conditions of severe and prolonged snow, as resources permit.

In reality, we'd have to have a new ice age before they grit priority 3 and 4 roads. It wasn't too many years ago that they'd do their best to grit every road and they'd have the stock levels to do it properly.

Also, do you REALLY trust a government computer project to get the gritting levels right? Really?

In Suffolk and Essex, I've seen some major A roads closed in weather that simply isn't that bad because the gritting and clearance is ######. There is no excuse for not gritting roads BEFORE a predicted heavy snowfall but it happens every year and will every year in future.

[JohnM]

Also, do you REALLY trust a government computer project to get the gritting levels right? Really?

fortunately, they aren't govt computer projects!! In once case its a managed service run by the Salt Union, the company that puts the hole under Winsford.

I see though that Alastair, darling, has dropped the ID card part of the ED scheme, though it is not clear if the plan to continue with the huge database behind it.

[paley]

Loads of snow in Queensbury

[Leeds Wire]

Loads of snow in Queensbury

Just a light dusting here in north Leeds - which has already turned to ice on the pavements and roads. I've been doing that John Wayne walk that somehow makes you feel like you're less likely to fall on your backside..

[hindle xiii]

No no no, sorry. I'm a little further afield than that, my apologies for the misunderstanding!

Lapland?

[Rubber Schnib]

Lapland?

Definitely closer, but left and down a bit.

[hindle xiii]

Definitely closer, but left and down a bit.

apland?


(I'll get my coat. Defo need one)

[Rubber Schnib]

apland?


(I'll get my coat. Defo need one)

Took me a fair few seconds to figure that one out!

[Bob8]

Heavy snow in Copenhagen (with topical irony) and predicted to drop to -12oC.

Luckily, I am in tropical Brussels. Only a few inches of snow, a sweltering -5 and only predicted to go to -8oC at the weekend. I might top up my tan.

[Rubber Schnib]

Heavy snow in Copenhagen (with topical irony) and predicted to drop to -12oC.

Pretty, though.

[Trojan]

Snowing quite heavily in Morley.

[Pen-Y-Bont Crusader]

Light dusting last evening in Bridgend. No more since then but its bloody freezing.

[stimpo-and-kat]

Light dusting in Stoke. However family in Neustadt, Canada have got 14 inches worth.

Beat that London